Obligatory
by American Robin
Summary: You don't tend to meet people you tried to kill when you were eleven at a coffee shop. Kevin just gets lucky. Slash Bevin Ben/Kevin. Rated T for language.
1. Black

_Warning: slash, as in boy on boy, disregard for canon, and abuse of coffee shops. Proceed at own risk._

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><p>All he really wanted was a coffee. Nothing fancy, just straight, black coffee. Kevin needed something bitter, something to give him a jolt of energy. Even if he'd actually have to pay for it for once.<p>

"What would you like?" The brunet behind the counter was slender, with these shining green eyes and a smile that showed hints of teeth.

"Just a coffee, black, medium." Kevin tried to talk low, but understandably, changing his voice a bit to avoid recognition. He doesn't suppose anyone will (it has been about five years), but he wasn't willing to take his chances. Not on something like this, anyway.

The barista comes back with a medium sized steaming cup of coffee. Digging into his pocket, Kevin places two dollar bills onto the counter and leaves without bothering to get change.

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><p>He doesn't go back there until about a month later. He isn't use to hitting the same place twice, but it's the only coffee shop anywhere near the city limits that isn't a Starbucks and crowded with hipsters and people who will look at his attire with disgust.<p>

This time it's almost to closing time, a quarter to eleven, and Kevin is grateful for his timing. There isn't a single person in the cafe and the barista is already cleaning up.

Hearing the bell jingle, the same barista from last time looks up, warm smile on his face. Something about it seems familiar, but Kevin doesn't think too hard on that. He just wants to get a coffee and go as quickly as possible without making any sort of impression.

Which should be kind of hard considering he smells like grease and his jeans got ripped earlier in the evening. He hasn't been able to shower in about two days, much less wash his hair in about a month. At least he gets to brush his teeth on most days, even if it's in a dingy gas station restroom.

"What would you like?" The brunet asks, his warm smile slightly strained as Kevin approaches. He does a well enough job at hiding it, though. He must be used to homeless people coming here.

"Medium coffee." Kevin tries his best not the look the barista in the eye. He doesn't want to see a (rightly) disgusted look there. Not that he likes making eye contact anymore. It might make him more recognizable, and he isn't ready for that yet.

"Free of charge." Kevin looks up enough to see that warm smile again, but not enough to look at the boys eyes. He has half a mind to say "I don't need your pity", but holds his tongue. He has about five bucks left in his pocket, and the more he can save, the better.

"Thank you," Kevin says instead, because although he isn't use to thanking people, he has to be polite or else things don't go nearly as smoothly as they should.

Kevin sits at the counter instead of getting up and leaving as last time. The coffee shop is warmer than his car (he doesn't turn on the heat as the battery is old and he hasn't found a decent enough replacement), so he stays. He takes a sip of his coffee, relishing the warmth and the bitter taste he doesn't really like but drinks all the same. He taste a hint of sugar this time, but doesn't say anything about it.

The brunet behind the counter has left, and Kevin is about to leave when he suddenly storms out the back room, sans apron, with a green jacket on. And that's when it hits him.

You don't really tend to find people you tried to kill when you were eleven at a coffee shop. Kevin just gets lucky.

Ben Tennyson is exactly the person he wanted to avoid ever seeing again in his life.

Kevin is stock still in his seat, not daring to make eye contact. He's gripping his coffee with a little more force than necessary, thoughts swimming. _Ben Tennyson_ is standing only a few feet away from his, moving things around on the counter-top, whistling, and _not_ trying to kill him. It's almost like some sort of weird hallucination.

Or maybe he's just thinking too much. This can't be the Ben from before. Yeah, sure, so he had brown hair and green eyes. Plenty of people did.

"Sorry, but I'm about to close up." The guy who is possibly Ben sounds sincerely apologetic, jingling his keys in his hand.

Kevin still can't meet his eyes as he walks out the door.

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><p>Kevin isn't exactly sure why two weeks later he decides to hit the same coffee shop again. At least he's showered this time, and even got to wash his hair. He's got some new jeans on too, that are a bit loose around the waist, and hang a bit low. The belt he has on doesn't really help hold it up much anyway, but he keeps it on so it doesn't slide too far down his hips.<p>

Maybe-Ben isn't at the counter this time.

He isn't exactly _disappointed,_ per say (or he won't admit it), but he was expecting the brunet to see if it could actually be Tennyson. Purely, to sate his curiosity. Right.

Instead, it's a petite Asian girl with short black hair and a pink long sleeve under her apron. Her name pin read 'Julie' and Kevin almost kicks himself for not thinking enough to read Maybe-Ben's.

He approaches her, steps casual. He should probably invest in a pair of sunglasses if he's going to be coming here more often (and he expects to, because although the coffee isn't the best he's had – not that he drinks much coffee anyway – it's the only place open until eleven that isn't usually full of people).

Her smile isn't as warm as the brunet's, it's a bit more forced as she asks, "how may I help you?"

"Coffee, black, a medium." He doesn't change his voice this time.

He probably shouldn't stay there. He should probably leave as soon as he gets his coffee and a blueberry muffin (the coffee is too bitter, he needs something sweet). But he doesn't, and instead slinks over to a booth near the back and rest his head on the table for a bit. The cafe is mostly empty, as it is nearly ten at night.

He doesn't lift his head when the door chimes, doesn't bother to hear the soft peals of laughter coming from Julie and the other girl who walks in. His coffee is probably getting cold, but it doesn't really matter to him, since he doesn't really want it anyway.

He does lift his head, however, when he feels a pair of eyes of him. The girl is cautious in her observance, as is he. The red head is pretty, he decides. Long hair cascading down her shoulders, slender figure with a heart shaped face. He's almost positive if he gets close enough, she probably has freckles across her nose and cheeks.

But her dress style is conservative, skirt reaching exactly at to her knees, dark stockings, and collared shirt neat and ironed to perfection. She isn't the type of girl Kevin talks to. Not that he's gotten a chance to talk to very many girls.

He sits up, grabs the blueberry muffin and his coffee, and leaves. If he still feels a pair of eyes on him as he does, he doesn't bother looking back.

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><p>Maybe-Ben is there the next time he goes, manning the counter. It's a quarter to eleven again and the cafe is nearly empty. Maybe-Ben is cleaning up the counter with a rag, whistling to himself, Kevin assumes from his view by the door.<p>

Maybe-Ben looks up as the door opens and the bells jingle, giving a customary smile. "Coffee, black, medium, right?" Kevin sort of freezes (he hopes Maybe-Ben doesn't notice this). The reason he never hits the same place more than once is because he is a person of pattern, and if someone starts to notice his pattern, things could go bad.

"Actually," he looks around the counter, and then toward the back, before settling on the machines. "Add some whole milk to that."

Maybe-Ben doesn't say anything, just smiles and goes to making the cup. Kevin is taping his fingers against the counter when the brunet comes back, coffee cup in hand. Kevin's eyes dart to the boys chest, but he isn't wearing a name tag.

He slams a few bills on the table and doesn't look back as he retreats. Maybe-Ben just watches, perplexed.

Kevin is shaking, grip tight enough on the steering wheels, his knuckles are whiter than usual, if that's possible. He needs to calm himself down. It isn't the first time a deal goes sour, it isn't the first time he gets shot at, it isn't the first time he almost doesn't make it out with all his limbs, and it definitely won't be the last.

Coffee is a stimulant. Coffee doesn't calm nerves. But he won't be able to sleep tonight so he might as well have some help with it. Plus a blueberry muffin doesn't seem like a bad idea.

He's told himself he wouldn't come back here. And he's right, he shouldn't. It's almost ten minutes to closing time and he isn't too keen on possibly making Maybe-Ben mad by having him work.

But he does anyway because even if the coffee there isn't too great, its better than the crap he can get at the gas station.

He looks sweaty and beat up – he changed his shirt before coming inside, but his jeans probably sports rips at the knees and some dirt – and paler than usual. Maybe-Ben doesn't smile when he approaches the counter.

"Are you okay?"

He gives the boy a weak smile. "Peachy."

Maybe-Ben doesn't say anything, and just goes to starting the machine. Kevin doesn't notice, as he's staring at the marble counter, eyes drooping. He's exhausted.

It's longer than usual when Maybe-Ben passes him a cup of coffee. Kevin thinks he says thank you.

He doesn't notice Maybe-Ben staring at him from across the counter. "What's your name?" It's a bit startling to hear the boy say anything besides "what would you like?"

"Ke-Kenji." He stops himself before saying 'Kevin'. The only people who ask for his name or feel a need to know it are his clients. He hasn't spoken to very many people in the past few months. It's a stupid name, and he hopes he'll remember it. He'd like to be able to come back to the cafe without raising suspicions.

"I'm Ben." He adopts that warm smile again as he hold out his hand, and Kevin has half a mind to bolt. Maybe-Ben has just turned into Real-Ben, as if today's events weren't enough for his psyche. He tentatively takes the boys hand in his own, shaking it once, before bringing it back to his lap.

"Do you go to Bellwood High? I don't think I've seen you around." Small talk. Kevin hasn't engaged in small talk that didn't involve selling alien tech or swindling someone out of their money or taking someone to bed in far too long.

"Uh, no I don't." Ben has his back turned to Kevin, cleaning the machine he had just used.

"The Prep school, then?" Kevin gives a bitter laugh. Did he really look like he could go to a private school? He supposes he was just being polite.

"No, I don't go to school."

Ben turns back around, brows furrowed. "Why not?"

"I graduated," he lies, easily. Ben seems to believe him. "I'm taking a break from school." Lying has always come easy to him. He's always found a way to manipulate a conversation into going in his favor.

"Why do you always order your coffee black?" Ben is leaning against the counter now, green eyes shining in curiosity. "You don't really seem to like it." The question catches Kevin off guard. He expected the conversation to stay on school or something silly like that.

For him to know that, the brunet must have been watching him. It send a shiver down Kevin's spine. He's suppose to stay inconspicuous. Go in and out of places without leaving an impression. Obviously, he hadn't done a good enough job.

"I've never had anything else. I don't tend to experiment." This time he isn't lying. Ever since leaving the Null Void, he hasn't had much time to experiment with new things, and so far he's been mostly living off instant noodles and the crummy sandwiches the gas station's convenience store sells.

"Well, I can't say we make the best coffee, but adding something sweet usually makes it less bitter and probably enjoyable." Ben's smile is kind and Kevin has to look away. He doesn't deserve that kind of smile directed at him, and yet he can't bring himself to cut the conversation and leave. "Or so I'm told," Ben continues. "I don't really drink coffee."

Kevin raises an eyebrow. "But you work at a coffee shop."

Ben's laugh is nice and throaty, Adam's apple bobbing as he does. "Funny, isn't it? My cousin sort of dared me into getting a job, so I applied to the one place that rejected her and got the job. She wasn't too pleased."

"Probably because my manager doesn't like her for some reason," Ben continues to ramble. Kevin doesn't mind. He could use the noise to distract him from his thoughts. "Next time you should try a cappuccino. They're a bit more popular with the college crowd. They provide the same kick as straight coffee, but taste pleasant, apparently."

"Yeah, next time." Kevin gives him a curt smile, out of politeness. He doesn't plan on coming back again.

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><p>Ben looks back from tending to the coffee machine when he hears bells jingle, to see a dark haired male walk through the door, and a smile crosses his face.<p>

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><p>AN: I haven't seen the original series in a long time, so I took some liberties with canon. If anything is too jarring, tell me and I'll fix it.

Some points:

1. For the sake of this AU, let's pretend Kevin doesn't know the Tennyson cousins lived in Bellwood (if he did in the first place.) In AF, he's found working for the Forever Knights, and I don't remember anything being said about him knowing where they lived previous to that.

2. Ben and Gwen don't recognize Kevin and vice-versa. I'll chalk it up to time. Plus Kevin doesn't look like the same bug-eyes kid from before, and Ben matured a lot (even if Ultimate Alien tried to reverse his matured nature that I enjoyed).

3. The beginning is sort of set before Alien Force, before Ben puts the Omnitrix back on. By the end, Ben is back in commission.

4. Bellwood is in Southern California. This should probably come into play later on.

5. It's called Obligatory because it's an obligatory coffee shop AU that's been popping up everywhere in other fandoms. Shush, I thought it was clever.


	2. Spice

This is really late. Sorry.

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><p>It became a routine. Kevin hated routine.<p>

The barista boy, the one that just so happened to be _Ben Tennyson,_ also known as the boy who he attempted to maim when he was a kid, had taken a liking to him, so now here he was. At a small little coffee shop on the outskirts of town, making small talk with the boy who once was his mortal enemy.

Weird how things pan out.

If Kevin were to be totally honestly, then he'd say he actually enjoyed some healthy human communication that didn't involve shady deals in back alleys with guys he wouldn't trust as far as he could throw them. He feels a bit pathetic, really. So starved for human contact he would resort to this? But it's the way Ben is that draws him to be around him, he tells himself. Ben Tennyson had the sort of smile and easy going personality that could make even the coldest necrofriggian feel like they were taking a trip down the Sahara Desert. He was warm and friendly. Welcoming. It had Kevin coming back every time he promised he wouldn't.

The free cups of coffee Ben insisted he have certainly helped matters. Not that he took advantage of the generosity. Kevin always came prepared to pay, but the boy just wouldn't have it.

It was sometime around ten, a cold summer night, as August was almost coming to a close, and Kevin was sitting at the far end of the island, listening to Ben chat animatedly about a trip to the lake he had taken with his cousin.

"... she falls face first into the water, her phone gets ruined, even putting it in rice wouldn't fix it. All the while she blames _me_, but no one told her to be so cocky. You don't play chicken with the reigning champion of the lake."

"Is that a self-proclaimed title?" Kevin asks with a smirk.

"Doesn't matter, because it's _true_." He says, as if daring Kevin to prove him wrong.

Kevin just gives him a short chuckle in response, taking a sip of his coffee.

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><p>"Why does the cafe stay open so late?" Kevin finds himself asking one day. Ben is distracted cleaning up the coffee machines. For a second, Kevin thinks he didn't hear him, but before he can call the brunets name, he gets a response.<p>

"After the Starbucks opened downtown, this place started losing a lot of business. The owner decided the best way to maximize profits was to keep it open as long as possible, even if that meant hiring more help." Ben turns around, finished with his tinkering with the machines. Grabbing a cloth from his apron, he starts wiping down the counter. "Between you and me though, our coffee is probably better than Starbucks anyway. The owner, Mr. Briggs, gets all the coffee imported from his families own plantation."

"And you like the night shift?" Kevin continues, slumping a bit forward in his seat.

"I don't always take the night shift. You just always come on the days I have it." He shoots Kevin an easy smile.

"How do you know I don't come other days?"

Ben appears to be at a lost for words. Cheeks tinted a slight shade of pink, he finally responds, "because I'm friends with Julie. She's never mentioned you." He averts his eyes from looking at where Kevin is slumped on the chair. "Um... I'm about to close up so um..."

Kevin nods. He's afraid he's made things awkward, and though he really wants to say something, he's not sure _what_ it is he's supposed to say. Or why he wants to say something so bad.

He settles on a quiet goodbye and heads out the door.

It's late August the next time he shows up. It wasn't his intention to have spent so long without making an appearance at the cafe, but he'd gotten caught up in things. Alien tech doesn't sell itself and trying to steer clear of wherever Ben Tennyson was going to make an appearance while he was conducting said illegal activities was proving to be more difficult than he thought.

"Haven't seen you in awhile." Ben's voice doesn't sound as warm as usual, causing Kevin to cringe.

He doesn't explain himself to people. Ever. Kevin does what Kevin wants, no questions asked. But Ben isn't one of those people he can just dismiss inquiries from. "I got caught up... with things." It's vague enough. Ben doesn't seem satisfied with the answer, but doesn't push the matter either.

"Well, you've been missing out on some very good coffee." His usual warmness is back now. "Mr. Briggs recently bought a bunch of new cappuccino products. Thought you might want to try some."

Kevin blinks. He's not sure what to think of Ben's offer. "Um... what kind of cappuccino?" Truth be told, Kevin has no idea what cappuccino's even are. He's heard of them before, but never ordered one and has no idea what to expect. Not that he'd ever admit that to the brunet.

"Any one you'd like! We have french vanilla, low fat," he begins listing off different flavors, but Kevin is lost.

"Why don't you just bring me whatever you think sounds good?"

Ben nods, heading over to the coffee machine.

Kevin has no idea what the boy has given him or whether or not the contents of his cup are drinkable. Deciding he has nothing to lose, he takes a gulp. Surprisingly, it's not bad. It tastes like vanilla and what he's guessing must be hazelnut.

"Do you like it?" Ben has this sort of hopeful expression. Sort of like a puppy who wants to be pet behind the ears. Kevin can't make eye contact with him. He just nods and mutters a "it's good."

The cafe is mostly empty, as usual at the time of night. There's a red head at the counter, talking with Ben. Her posture is rigid and she looks to be annoyed by something. Kevin thinks she looks familiar, but isn't exactly sure.

"Kenji!" Ben greets as he walks in, a broad smile on his face. The red head he was just speaking to turns around.

"Hey." His own greeting isn't nearly as exuberant, just a nod and a slight quirk of the lips.

"This is Kenji?" The red head asks. "Ben's spoken about you."

_Ben talks about me? _Kevin thinks, surprised. He can't decide if that's a good or a bad thing.

"I'm Gwen." She hold out her hand for him to shake. With a slight hesitance, he takes it.

"Oh, so you're Gwen." The smile she gives him makes him uneasy.

"What kind of cappuccino do you want this time?" Ben asks. He'd managed to get Kevin hooked on them, and now he can't stop trying them out.

"Whatever you suggest," he replies. He still doesn't know the name of anything having to do with coffee and always just lets Ben choose for him.

In a few minutes, Ben is back with a medium sized cup. It smells like pumpkin and cinnamon and something else he can't place. "It's called pumpkin spice. I added a dash of cinnamon and hazelnut crème. A girl earlier ordered it. Thought you might like it."

Kevin takes a tentative sip and isn't surprised when he finds himself enjoying it. He's not a fan of cinnamon, but the addition isn't exactly a bad choice. "It's great."

The red head coughs to get their -really, Ben's- attention. "I'll be heading out then. We'll continue our conversation later." Her shoes make clacking noises with each steps she takes. _Clack, clack, clack. _Ben doesn't speak until he hears the bell's jingle.

"Don't mind Gwen, she's just a little stressed."

"So that's your fiery cousin?" Kevin gets this feeling in his gut. It tells him to run. To leave town and not come back. But his feet don't move and he's still taking tentative sips of his cappuccino.

"Don't mind her. She's usually hostile."

"Noted."

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><p>By this point, Kevin almost has Ben's schedule memorized. While it would be much wiser to just show up whenever he isn't working, by now Kevin has thrown all logic out the window. He comes by at least three days a week, and Ben is thrilled.<p>

They both must be starved for companionship, Kevin thinks. Why Ben sees Kevin as a worthwhile companion, Kevin isn't too sure. But beggars can't be choosers.

"Good morning!" Ben is surprisingly chipper for someone working the morning shift, though Ben suspects it has more too do with the coffee he saw Ben downing just a few seconds ago.

Kevin forgoes a greeting. "I thought you didn't like coffee."

"I _really _don't, it makes me pretty hyper and I don't really like that feeling," Ben is babbling at a mile a minute and Kevin is having trouble keeping up. "But I had a pretty late night playing Sumo Slammers and totally forgot I had a shift this morning oh what bring you here so early?"

It takes a second for Kevin to process Ben asked him a question. "I haven't been able to sleep." He doesn't elaborate on why, and Ben by now knows to not ask, though he's so jittery on coffee he's probably not even thought about asking.

Ben just nods his head at Kevin's response. "So uh wanna try a ristretto? It's suppose to be pretty powerful, and I'm positive I've gotten the hang of making them by now."

Kevin doesn't let him notice that he thinks it taste awful, as Ben is far too excited at how he thinks he's made it expertly. Kevin is sure that Ben must have messed up somewhere while making it.

"When is your shift over?" Kevin had debated for a few seconds whether he should ask, said to hell with it, and asked anyway. If Ben asked, he'd say its because he's concerned Ben will fall over on the job, considering the only thing keeping him upright is a cup of coffee.

"I started working early so uh..." Ben blinks and thinks for a few minutes, as if he's somehow forgotten his schedule. "Twelve? That's when Julie comes in... I think she has a long shift today since I've been covering most of them." His cheeks tinge a bit red at the last part, like he hadn't meant to say that.

"Perfect." Kevin doesn't say that aloud. Instead he says something along the lines of "good, you'll need some rest, since it looks like you're about to fall over."

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><p>Ben ends up gushing at Kevin's car, which he had just given a new paint job. They go out to lunch, Ben craving Chinese food, and Kevin takes him home afterwards.<p>

Nothing more.

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><p>AN: I've never read a coffee shop au. I've read stories where a main character works at a coffee shop, but never an actual coffee shop au so I have no idea how they work. So sorry if this is not what's expected.

Also, remember last chapters authors note? Forget what I said about Ben using the omnitrix by the end of next chapter. This chapter still takes place before he dons it.


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